MAJORITY INCREASED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17140, 21 April 1919, Page 4

MAJORITY INCREASED.

1 CONTINUANCE LEAD OF 2519 I POLL ON THE KAIKOURA. PROGRESS OF OFFICAL COUNT. 26 RETURNS RECEIVED. An increase of 655 in the majority for continuance is shown by the addition of returns received during the week-end, the ' margin in favour of continuance being now ' 2519. The latest figures include the second return from a transport, the Kaikoura, and results of official recounts in five districts. So far, the recount has been completed in 26 of the 76 districts. In the ' absence of details of the official count in Christchurch East, the present state of the poll is as follows: CIVILIAN VOTE. For Continuance 229,246 For Prohibition 242,146 Majority for Prohibition 12.900 SOLDIERS' VOTE. For Continuance 19,960 For Prohibition 4.700 Majority (or Continuance 15,260 TOTAL CIVILIAN AND SOLDIERS' VOTES For Continuance 249,206 Plus Inc. Chch. East ... 159 For Prohibition 246,846 Majority for Continuance 2,519 The troops by the Kaikoura, which arrived at Wellington oil Friday, voted as follows: — For Continuance .. . . 844 For Prohibition .. .. .. 160 Majority for Continuance . 684 Thd result of the polling of New Zealand soldiers, estimated at 220, forming the garrison of Samoa, will apparently not be known for some time. Under the regu- , lations tho ballot-boxes are to bo returned to Wellington, where the votes will bo counted. The Talune, which arrived at Auckland last evening, left Apia on April 7, three days before the poll. The following is a statement of the returns mado upon the official recounts in ' the districts named, votes cast by seamen and absent voters being included: — For For Majority for Con. Pro. Con. Pro. Chalmers 2064 3792 — 1738 i Kaipara 2288 2545 - 307 , Lyttelton 3097 3180 - 83 Waipawa 3010 2819 191 — I i Wairarapa 2846 2421 125 — Of tie absent votes added to the Wei- ' lington North return, 168 were for continuance and 123 for prohibition. Thirty i seamen voted for continuance and six for prohibition. Of the absent voters regisI tered in Invercargill, 67 voted for continu- ! ance, and 156 for national prohibition. An increase of 159 in the majority for continuance, shown by the first returns 1 from Christchurch East, was reported last week. This alteration in the figures was due to the fact that on polling night the figures from two polling-booths were trans- , posed. I It has been suggested that the number of informal votes was exceptionally largo. A comparison of figures shows that the ' proportion of informal votes was about ■ 1 normal. Every election and ballot produces a certain number of inaccurately marked papers, used in most cases by people who apparentlv are unab'e to understand the most simple instructions. ! i Some of the voters who went to the booths on April 10 made their ballot-papers informal by striking out the words with | compensation." But the returning officers ' indicate that the number of napers of this kind was ' not large, and did not account for nearly all the informal votes. A few j of the informal papers had "State control" written upon them.